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From helicopters to gas wells?

As the Sikorsky Aircraft company is saying goodbye to the Southern Tier community of Big Flats (they are consolidating their operations in Florida) supporters of hydrofracking are saying the departure is the latest sign that gas drilling is needed to revive the economy of this struggling area.

Here’s a statement from Karen Moreau, executive director of the state Petroleum Council on the looming shut-down and loss of 570 jobs:

“If Albany needed a wakeup call about the sagging economy in the Southern Tier, today’s announcement from Sikorsky should do the trick. But a wakeup call is not enough; it must be a call to action. We know the answer to creating jobs and opportunity in the Southern Tier. We know what will allow young adults to stay in their communities and not have to move out of state for work. We know what will help bolster housing prices, and allow those who rely on this major investment for their retirement plans to realize their dreams.

“The Marcellus Shale offers tremendous opportunities to create jobs and lift up entire communities, and we know that we can the extract natural gas in a safe and responsible manner. We know it because it’s happening across the country and right over the border in Pennsylvania. The State must move forward with hydraulic fracturing in a timely manner. To do otherwise is tantamount to turning your back on the Southern Tier.”